Tour overview

This 11-day small-group trip explores Taiwan beyond its capital, from the night markets and museums of Taipei to Indigenous mountain villages, the island's only natural lake and the ancient cypress forests of Alishan. Groups have up to 12 travellers aged 15 and over, with a local leader throughout. You stay ten nights in hotels and a garden guesthouse near Sun Moon Lake, travelling by private bus, metro and public bus. Breakfast is included every day, with a home-style Indigenous lunch, leaving you free to try Taiwan's famous street food.

Your adventure begins in Taipei. A walk along Dihua Street, the city's oldest, reveals traditional medicine shops and Qing-dynasty houses alongside new cafés and studios, followed by a visit to the grand Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and an evening at the Shilin Night Market. On the way to Yilan you visit the National Palace Museum, home to the world's largest collection of Chinese art, then pull on boots at a spring onion farm to pick your own and learn to make crispy spring onion pancakes.

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In the mountains near Yilan you spend time with the Indigenous Atayal people, learning about their costume and face tattoos, making bamboo rice and sharing a hearty lunch before discovering traditional hunting techniques in the forest. A morning market and a lesson in peanut roll ice cream lead to Sun Moon Lake, where you walk the Ci'en Pagoda Trail for panoramic views and cycle along the shore.

At the Hugosum Tea Farm you roll your own black tea leaves to take home, then tour the striking Chung Tai Chan Monastery with a resident nun or guide. From Chiayi you ride the old Alishan Forest Railway through tropical, subtropical and temperate forests and hike the Sacred Forest Trail among giant cypress trees. A visit to Longshan Temple and clam picking in the fishing village of Fangyuan precede your return to Taipei, with a free evening to see the city from Taipei 101.

The physical rating is medium, with walking, hiking and cycling. This trip suits curious travellers who love food, culture and nature.

Trip highlights

  • Dihua Street and the Shilin Night Market (Day 2)
  • The National Palace Museum (Day 3)
  • An Indigenous Atayal village (Day 4)
  • Cycling at Sun Moon Lake (Day 6)
  • Rolling your own tea (Day 7)
  • The Alishan Forest Railway (Day 8)

Your route

9 stops from Taipei to Taichung

11-day route: Taipei – Yilan – Sun Moon Lake – Chiayi – Alishan – Taichung – Taipei
  1. Taipei Days 1–2 & 10–11
  2. National Palace Museum Day 3
  3. Yilan Days 3–4
  4. Sun Moon Lake Days 5–6
  5. Puli Day 7
  6. Chiayi Days 7–8
  7. Alishan Day 8
  8. Lukang Longshan Temple Day 9
  9. Taichung Day 9

Why choose this tour

Taiwan's food, Indigenous culture and mountains in under two weeks. Hands-on experiences, from pancakes to tea rolling.

Best suited to

  • Food lovers
  • Culture lovers
  • Solo travellers looking for a small group
  • Active travellers
Taipei's skyline and Taipei 101

Day-by-day itinerary

11 days from Taipei, Taiwan to Taipei, Taiwan

  1. Day 1 · Taipei Arrive in Taipei

    A welcome meeting.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Dihua Street, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Taipei

    Old streets and a night market.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · National Palace Museum, Yilan Yilan

    A great museum and a farm.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  4. Day 4 · Atayal village Yilan

    An Indigenous community visit.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  5. Day 5 · Sun Moon Lake, Puli Sun Moon Lake

    A market and a mountain lake.

    Hotel
    Guesthouse in Puli
    Meals
    Breakfast
  6. Day 6 · Ci'en Pagoda Sun Moon Lake

    A trail walk and a lakeside ride.

    Hotel
    Guesthouse in Puli
    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7 · Hugosum Tea Farm, Chung Tai Chan Monastery Chiayi

    Tea rolling and a monastery.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Alishan Forest Railway, Sacred Forest Trail Alishan

    A mountain railway and giant cypresses.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  9. Day 9 · Longshan Temple, Fangyuan Taichung

    A temple and a fishing village.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Taipei Taipei

    A free afternoon in the capital.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  11. Day 11 · Taipei Trip ends

    Depart at any time.

    Meals
    Breakfast
The Alishan Forest Railway in the mist

Where you stay

  • Taipei (2 nights) Hotel
  • Yilan (2 nights) Hotel
  • Sun Moon Lake area (2 nights) Guesthouse in Puli
  • Chiayi (2 nights) Hotel
  • Taichung (1 night) Hotel
  • Taipei (1 night) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 9 nights in hotels and 1 in a guesthouse
  • Meals 10 breakfasts and 1 lunch
  • Private bus, metro and public bus
  • National Palace Museum and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
  • Spring onion farm and pancake making
  • Indigenous Atayal community visit
  • Sun Moon Lake bike ride and Alishan Forest Railway
  • Local leader throughout

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not included 8 lunches and 10 dinners
  • Optional activities such as Taipei 101
  • Tips, travel insurance and personal spending
A food stall at a Taiwanese night market

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want luxury
  • You want most meals included
  • You dislike cycling or hiking
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–11 · Lunch: Day 4 · Dinner: none included
FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Taiwan
A tea plantation in the hills of Taiwan

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £2,159 per person, twin share, tour only. 77 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

How active is the trip?

Easy to moderate, with walks, a forest hike and a bike ride at Sun Moon Lake.

Can I have a single room?

A supplement is available, except at the Sun Moon Lake guesthouse.

Can I take home the tea I roll?

Yes, your tea leaves are dried and packaged for you to take home.

Do I need a visa?

UK visitors can usually enter Taiwan visa-free for short stays. Check the latest advice before travel.

What food will I try?

Spring onion pancakes, peanut roll ice cream, night-market snacks and an Indigenous lunch.

How many people travel together?

Up to 12 travellers, with a local leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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